US in injury management mode after Trump's remarks on Kashmir

WASHINGTON: Trump administration mandarins and American overseas coverage interlocutors started injury management measures on Monday evening to mollify New Delhi after President Trump’s off-the-cuff provide to mediate on the Kashmir problem touched off a firestorm within the diplomatic circuit. Hours after Trump’s remarks, US officers finessed his phrases to make clear that Washington nonetheless believes Kashmir is a bilateral problem between India and Pakistan, and US stands prepared solely to help the 2 events. Amid an uproar in diplomatic circles over Trump entering into the Kashmir quagmire, which New Delhi has lengthy maintained is for India and Pakistan to resolve, the State Division’s South Central Asia bureau that oversees US regional coverage tweeted: Whereas Kashmir is a bilateral problem for each events to debate, the Trump administration welcomes #Pakistan and #India sitting down and the USA stands prepared to help.

Whereas Kashmir is a bilateral problem for each events to debate, the Trump administration welcomes #Pakistan and… https://t.co/qTyLLH67Q9

&mdash; State_SCA (@State_SCA) 1563837466000

The tweet was signed with the initials AGW, which presumably stands for Alice Wells, the performing assistant secretary of state for South Central Asia and the state division’s pointperson for the area. A factsheet issued by the White Home on the conclusion of the Trump-Khan talks additionally averted all point out of Kashmir. Learn additionally: Row erupts as Trump presents to mediate in Kashmir problemEarlier within the day, Trump threw the regional diplomatic circuit right into a flap by claiming that Prime Minister Modi had requested him to mediate or arbitrate on the Kashmir problem. Inside minutes of the declare being aired, India’s exterior affairs ministry refuted it, saying the prime minister had made no such request and “it has been India’s constant place that every one excellent points with Pakistan are mentioned solely bilaterally.” “Any engagement with Pakistan would require an finish to cross border terrorism. The Shimla Settlement and the Lahore Declaration present the idea to resolve all points between India and Pakistan bilaterally,” the MEA assertion stated.

…that every one excellent points with Pakistan are mentioned solely bilaterally. Any engagement with Pakistan would req… https://t.co/ApwBL6nuxq

&mdash; Raveesh Kumar (@MEAIndia) 1563820128000

Trump went as far as to cook dinner up a (within the mild of the Indian denial) dialog he had with Modi, relating: “I used to be with Prime Minister Modi two weeks in the past, and we talked about this topic. And he truly stated, “Would you prefer to be a mediator or arbitrator?” I stated, “The place?” He stated, “Kashmir.” The US President’s declare, seen as fanciful even amongst American interlocutors, got here after visiting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan publicly requested him to intervene within the matter. “Everybody who is aware of something about overseas coverage in South Asia is aware of that #India persistently opposes third-party mediation re #Kashmir. Everybody is aware of PM Modi would by no means recommend such a factor. Trump’s assertion is amateurish and delusional. And embarrassing,” stated Congressman Brad Sherman, tweeting that he had “ simply apologized to Indian Ambassador @HarshShringla for Trump’s “amateurish and embarrassing mistake.”

The truth that the South Asia bureau needed to finesse the President rambling remarks advised even bureaucrats within the administration had been caught unawares by Trump’s meandering tour into the Kashmir quagmire. All of it started on the White Home Oval Workplace, the place pool reporters and visiting Pakistani scribes had gathered, largely for a photograph op, television footage of handshakes, opening remarks, and generally one or two questions, he normal working protocol for the media earlier than they’re ushered out. A Pakistani reporter set the ball rolling asking Trump how he anticipated to strengthen ties with Pakistan “when India and U.S. has developed an alliance within the area” and “when your choice is India.” “I’ll say that we now have an excellent relationship with India. I do know that your relationship is strained somewhat bit. Possibly lots. However we will probably be speaking about India; a really massive a part of our dialog right this moment. And I feel possibly if we might help intercede and do no matter we now have to do. However I feel it is one thing that may be introduced again collectively. And we’ll even be speaking about Afghanistan. However we will probably be speaking about India and Afghanistan very a lot so,” Trump responded. Whereas this provide to speak to India within the context of Afghanistan was innocent sufficient, the Kashmir fuse was somewhat down the highway. Questions from the united statesmedia about Huawei, North Korea, Iran, and home politics adopted, at the same time as Pakistani journalists tried to attract Trump again to the area. One Pakistani journalist lastly managed to ask Trump whether or not he would play any position in Kashmir “the place thousands and thousands have been useless.” That was cue for Imran Khan to “take benefit Trump’s bottomless vainness to drive a wedge between US and India on Kashmir” – because the commentator David Frum would later describe the event. “I really feel that solely essentially the most highly effective state, headed by President Trump, can convey the 2 international locations collectively,” Khan started, sucking as much as the US President. “We’ve made all overtures to India to begin dialogue, resolve our variations by way of dialogue…. we haven’t made headways as but. However I’m hoping that President Trump would push this course of.” Trump, by no means in need of offers and options for world issues, was quickly off and operating: “And I feel they’d prefer to see it resolved. And I feel you’d prefer to see it resolved. And if I might help, I’d like to be a mediator. It shouldn’t be — I imply, it’s inconceivable to consider two unbelievable international locations which might be very, very sensible, with very sensible management, can’t clear up an issue like that. However in order for you me to mediate or arbitrate, I’d be keen to try this. PRIME MINISTER KHAN: President, I can let you know that, proper now, you’d have the prayers of over a billion folks if you happen to can mediate and resolve this problem. PRESIDENT TRUMP: It needs to be resolved. So it — however he requested me the identical, so I feel there’s one thing. So possibly we’ll converse to him or I’ll converse to him, and we’ll see if we will do one thing as a result of I’ve heard a lot about Kashmir. Such a good looking identify. It’s imagined to be such a good looking a part of the world. However proper now there’s simply bombs everywhere. They are saying in every single place you go, you’ve got bombs and it’s a horrible scenario. Been occurring for a few years. If I can do something to assist that, let me know. By this time, the pool spray had been occurring for practically half an hour. However the Pakistan media was not executed with him but. One Pakistan scribe requested a meandering query about “India’s efforts to destabilize” Pakistan, a rustic that hosted 9/11 hijackers and masterminds together with Osama bin Laden, and requested Trump if he will probably be enjoying a task in stopping India. Trump: I feel I can very nicely. I’ve an excellent relationship with Prime Minister Modi. And I feel we will have an outstanding relationship with the Prime Minister of Pakistan. I do suppose that it is a two-way avenue. , you say India is coming in and destabilizing Pakistan, however India is saying that Pakistan is coming in and destabilizing. So there’s numerous room proper there the place we will meet. I feel we will meet. With another US President, such gratuitous remarks might have constituted a provocation and a disaster. However given the broad all spherical acknowledgement that Trump is clueless nearly the whole lot (historical past, geography, international politics) and simply wings it on most events, Monday’s episode is anticipated to be only a blip in India-US ties if New Delhi chooses to not escalate it or react too strongly – which it didn’t. Nonetheless, Monday’s newbie hour left many veteran commentators astonished. “By providing to mediate on Kashmir, Trump stated one thing deeply provocative to India, which has at all times refused third get together mediation. India is America’s most essential “pure ally” in its rivalry with China. Arduous to overstate the stupidity and ignorance of what Trump stated,” tweeted Ed Luce, a Monetary Occasions columnist who was beforehand primarily based within the subcontinent. The Pakistani media in the meantime was in transports of enjoyment at Trump’s provide to mediate on the Kashmir, reporting it as if the state had been handed over to Pakistan. Nonetheless, a sobering realization of the complexity and US limitations arrived quickly after by the use of the official clarification about it being a bilateral matter – and the difficulty discovering no point out within the White Home assertion following the talks. “Pakistan has taken some steps in opposition to terrorist teams working inside Pakistan. It is important that Pakistan take motion to close down all teams as soon as and for all,” the factsheet issued after the luncheon assembly stated, including that “Pakistan has made efforts to facilitate the Afghanistan peace talks, and we’re going to ask them to do extra.” In Video:President Donald Trump presents to ‘mediate’ between India, Pakistan on Kashmir, MEA snubs provide